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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22404607">Never Too Late for Friends</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/OhNoMyBreadsticks/pseuds/OhNoMyBreadsticks'>OhNoMyBreadsticks</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Side Stories: Of Gods and their Humans [7]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Birthday Fluff, Birthday Party, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Friendship, M/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-01-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-01-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 11:49:28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,029</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22404607</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/OhNoMyBreadsticks/pseuds/OhNoMyBreadsticks</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Hank Anderson isn't the most talented at making friends. But it's never too late to try to be kind.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Hank Anderson &amp; Gavin Reed, Hank Anderson/Connor, Upgraded Connor | RK900/Gavin Reed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Side Stories: Of Gods and their Humans [7]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1325048</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>59</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Never Too Late for Friends</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/thislittlekumquat/gifts">thislittlekumquat</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This story was written for the one and only thislittlekumquat, who is not only my very talented and patient beta but one of my very closest friends &lt;3 &lt;3 Without her, BE9 wouldn't exist at all, and I certainly wouldn't still be writing it with such enthusiasm!! She asked for Hank and Connor throwing a birthday party for Gavin in the forest, which turned into a bit of a think-piece on Hank lol. But I hope you like it dear &lt;3</p><p>Note: This scene is set after <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/21780586/chapters/51970243">What Makes Up a Man?</a>, so spoilers for where these four end up after that!</p><p>New to the series? Check out the timeline <a href="https://ohnomybreadsticks.tumblr.com/be9timeline">here</a>!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Hank Anderson had never considered himself a very socially gifted man. He had never been the type to have a huge amount of friends, even as a young man. At work, he had gotten along well enough with his colleagues, but even then there was always a sort of distance. It wasn’t easy to make friends when you were busy climbing the promotional ladder and breaking records for youngest police officer to do...whatever. Either way, Hank hadn’t considered himself a total loner until after the divorce, when his life totally fell to shit. Then he </span>
  <em>
    <span>really</span>
  </em>
  <span> didn’t have any friends.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But along came Connor, bringing with him energy and enthusiasm and honest to god </span>
  <em>
    <span>love</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Hank hadn’t felt this energized in years, and the feeling was intoxicating. It gave him the strength to do all sorts of crazy things, like trek into the woods and spend time in a cave with Connor’s brother and his brother’s boyfriend. Past Hank would have absolutely balked at the mere idea, but recently Hank found himself actually looking forward to the weeks when they would pack up the car and head out for one of their visits. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There was something deeply pleasant about sitting around the fire with Niles and Gavin and Connor and just talking. Spending time together felt easy, even if the conversation was often scattered and non-sequential. Both gods had their own way of rambling on, and together they were a force to be reckoned with. But Gavin could hold his own when he was in the right mood, and Hank had a feeling neither of them really minded sitting and listening. That was the strange thing about being in love, after all.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It happened one night, with Gavin bright eyed and loose-tongued from the excitement of the day and the potent alcohol he and Niles had taken to brewing. Hank, of course, had turned away the offered cup, feeling Connor’s eyes heavy on his skin. But not so heavy as to be a burden. A comforting brush, nothing more. Gavin is explaining something, Hank has lost track of what, when he adds with a loud laugh that “--That’s what they get for messing with a fucking libra!” It takes Hank a few minutes to parse the statement, but when he does he hears himself chuckle in answer.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“If you want me to know your birthday, you’re going to have to be more clear, kiddo.” Hank teases, reaching out to ruffle Gavin’s hair in the way he knows will get an indignant squawk out of the other man. Gavin mutters something, then says more loudly “Why? What’s the fuckin point with birthdays anyways?” Hank shrugs, having had enough of them at this point to ask the question himself. But something about the sudden slump of Gavin’s shoulders has him thinking to himself, turning the date he finally drags out of the man over in his mind long after they’ve all laid down to sleep.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>When Hank proposes his idea to Connor later that week, he’s met with uncommon enthusiasm. Well, not uncommon, Connor is almost always enthusiastic about pretty much everything. Maybe he had just been assuming this was a terrible idea, like always, and had been surprised to find that someone else disagreed. With Connor’s support, Hank finds it fairly easy to make preparations for a surprise birthday party of sorts, and since they have at least one visit in between now and then they’re able to rope Niles into it as well. His eyes do that strange thing where they seem to light up and darken at the same time when Hank reveals what Gavin’s birthday is, but he doesn’t push. Not his business, definitely not.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The day finally arrives, and Hank helps Connor load their supplies into the car. It feels a little ridiculous, and he has to fight the shame trying to crawl up his spine and into his mind the whole drive out to the forest. Even more so when they have to trudge through the worn paths carrying all the paraphernalia. At least Niles comes to meet them halfway, offering another set of hands to carry, and a calming presence to reassure him that this hasn’t all been a mistake. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Thank you.” Niles says simply, but the smile he sends Hank contains multitudes. It’s enough to have Hank looking away, mumbling something or other about having nothing else to do this week and needing a distraction. Easier than accepting the fact that he honestly wants to do something kind for another human being, out of no other compulsion than the desire to drive away that lingering loneliness and misery. The forest is turning red and gold around them, and Hank lets the layered silence of the trees envelope him until they arrive at the cave. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Once they arrive, it’s a whirlwind of activity to finish preparations up before Gavin returns from whatever errands Niles has sent him out on. There’s a garish sort of banner to hang up, and balloons to inflate, and Hank is carefully attempting to stick candles into a cake he bought at the store and let Connor decorate. It’s all a little slipshod, a little overly ‘Birthday’ with a capital B, but he supposes that doesn’t matter. What matters is that when Gavin steps back into the cave and Connor plunks a birthday hat on his head, the man immediately breaks into a beaming smile. If there are a few stray tears hiding in the corners of his eyes, well. They all pretend not to notice.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They sing happy birthday, and Gavin blows out the candles, and then they all dive in. The cake is sugary sweet, and it stings slightly as Hank remembers the last time he tasted this sort of treat. But it’s easy to smile, and to let the memories fade away, as Gavin flings an arm around his shoulders and begins to animatedly tease about the way the cake is decorated. Soon enough all four of them are laughing, and Hank admits to himself that this might not be a bad way to spend the rest of his life. Friends huh? Who would have thought.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed it!!</p><p>As always, any and all comments or kudos are loved and cherished &lt;3 If you'd like to see more of my drabbles or stop by for a chat you can find me over on <a href="https://ohnomybreadsticks.tumblr.com/">tumblr</a>! :)</p></blockquote></div></div>
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